A New Chapter in Football’s Greatest Rivalry

The 2025 MLS Cup Final, this Saturday, December 6, in Fort Lauderdale, is more than a championship match—it is the latest twist in one of football’s most iconic rivalries. Lionel Messi is just 90 minutes away from winning his first league title outside Europe, a milestone that would place him ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has yet to lift the Saudi Pro League trophy since arriving in the Middle East. It’s a quiet, symbolic race, but one that once again places both legends on parallel tracks.

Since joining MLS, Messi has already lifted trophies—the 2023 Leagues Cup, the Supporters’ Shield, and the Eastern Conference title—but none of them represent a league championship. This final against the Vancouver Whitecaps, led by Thomas Müller, is his first real chance to add a domestic league crown to his résumé in the Americas.

Messi One Win Away From Completing the Circle

The Argentine has transformed Inter Miami from the moment he arrived, elevating the club to unprecedented competitive heights. His leadership, playmaking, and consistency brought the team to the brink of its greatest achievement: lifting the most important trophy in U.S. soccer. A win would not only make history for Miami—it would also make Messi a league champion in a third region of the world, an accomplishment few players in history can claim.

The words once said by Javier Mascherano echo loudly now: “Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary.” The MLS Cup could be the latest proof.

Cristiano, on the Other Side of the Race

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey in Saudi Arabia has taken a very different turn. The Portuguese star has not won a league title since 2021, with the Coppa Italia standing as his last major club trophy. Since joining Al-Nassr, he has gone three seasons without winning the Saudi Pro League, losing out on 13 trophies across league, domestic cups, and continental competitions.

Although his team currently sits atop the league table with a perfect start, Cristiano cannot mathematically win the league until 2026, giving Messi a window to move ahead in this unexpected race for league glory.

What’s at Stake

The MLS Cup Final will crown a champion, but it may also reshape the ongoing comparison between Messi and Cristiano. The Argentine could secure a league title in the United States before the Portuguese does so in Saudi Arabia—an outcome few would have predicted when both left Europe. Once again, their stories run in parallel, each from his own continent, pushing the rivalry into yet another chapter that refuses to fade.